Introduction
MTV Shuga is a multimedia sexual and reproductive health campaign driven by an award winning African TV drama series designed for young people.
MTV Shuga
Overview
Background
MTV Shuga is produced and distributed by MTV Staying Alive Foundation, in collaboration with MTV Networks Africa. The series primarily aims to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS and promote healthy behavior among young people. This includes exploring themes such as sexual and reproductive health, contraceptives, gender-based violence, stigma, family planning and more.
The first season of the TV drama show “Shuga” was launched in Kenya in 2009, and included three episodes. The show followed the lives of a group of young students in Nairobi as they navigated the challenges of growing up, including relationships, sex, and HIV and AIDS.
The success of season 1 led to the production of subsequent seasons and spin-off series in other African countries, including five seasons of MTV Shuga: Naija in Nigeria (2013, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), two seasons of MTV Shuga: Down South in South Africa (2017, 2019) and two seasons of MTV Shuga Babi: in Côte d’Ivoire (2019, 2021).
During the global COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in 2020, MTV Staying Alive Foundation produced MTV Shuga: Alone Together, a mini-series based on the lives of various MTV Shuga characters during lockdown. In March 2020, the MTV Staying Alive Foundation also launched MTV: Nishedh in India, a reproduction of MTV Shuga intended for young Indian audiences.
In 2022, MTV Staying Alive Foundation released MTV Shuga: What Makes a Man, a docu-series featuring MTV Shuga: Down South actor Ayanda Makayi exploring gender-based violence and masculinity in a modern South Africa.
MTV Shuga – The TV show
Shuga (2009, 2011)
The initial TV show, referred to as “Shuga“, followed the lives of a group of young Kenyans as they navigate the challenges of growing up, including relationships, sex, and living with HIV and AIDS. The first season of Shuga comprised of three episodes, with the second season comprising of six episodes followed by a synopsis episode.
Shuga primarily aimed to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS and promote healthy behavior among young people in Kenya.
MTV Shuga: Naija (2013, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2023)
First launched in 2013, the first season of MTV Shuga: Naija acted as the third installment of MTV Shuga, and took place in Lagos, Nigeria. Similarly to the two original Shuga series, the series tells the story of several young people (often students) as they deal with sex, love, and relationships.
As well as addressing themes related to HIV and AIDS, such as prevention methods and the use of antiretroviral therapy. MTV Shuga: Naija also explores other related themes such as STIs, pregnancy and contraceptives, family planning, and gender-based violence.
As of March 2023, MTV Shuga: Naija has aired four seasons, making it the longest running series of MTV Shuga. A fifth season scheduled for release in April 2023.
MTV Shuga: Down South (2017, 2019)
The first season of MTV Shuga: Down South premiered in March 2017, and acted as the fifth installment of MTV Shuga. The show is set in Johannesburg, South Africa, and like previous MTV Shuga installments follows the lives of several young people.
Along with HIV and AIDS awareness, MTV Shuga: Down South explores themes directly affecting South African youth, including peer pressure, pregnancy, sexual awareness, abortions, abusive relationships, and relationships with older partners (known colloquially as “Blessers” or “Sugar daddies”). The show also includes narratives on HIV prevention drug Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Source
As of March 2023, MTV Shuga: Down South has aired two seasons, with auditions currently undergoing for a third season.
MTV Shuga: Babi (2019, 2021)
MTV Shuga: Babi is a French-language installment of MTV Shuga, which first aired in December 2019. The show takes place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and addresses issues such as HIV and AIDS prevention, HIV stigmatization, teenage pregnancy, gender-based violence, and tackles certain taboos surround sexuality. MTV Shuga: Babi also features modern HIV prevention technology, such HIV self-testing kits.
As of March 2023, MTV Shuga: Babi has aired two seasons in 2019 and 2021.
MTV Nishedh (2020, 2022)
Following the success of MTV Shuga in Africa, in 2020 MTV Shuga launched MTV Nishedh in India, a remake of the MTV Shuga series for young Indian audiences. The show’s primary language is Hindi, but includes English subtitles. The plot of MTV Nishedh revolves around Aastha, a young women in Mumbai,
Who together with her colleagues pursues her creative dreams while overcoming culturally taboo issues.
MTV Nishedh deals with numerous taboo topics (the English tranlsation of “Nishedh” is “taboo” or “prohibition”), including stigma surrounding sexual health, contraceptive care, tuberculosis, abortion and nutrition.
As of March 2023, MTV Nishedh has aired two seasons in 2020 and 2022.
MTV Shuga: Alone Together (2020)
MTV Shuga: Alone Together was a mini-series featuring the lives of various MTV Shuga characters during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in 2022. The 6-10 minute episodes explored how MTV Shuga characters coped with life under the wide-spread lockdowns introduced to counter COVID-19 infections in 2020.
MTV Shuga: Alone Together consisted of 70 short episodes, with each being released on a daily basis. The episodes were made available in English and French, and like other MTV Shuga installments, included a dedicated website containing help and advice related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including mental health, HIV and AIDS, and domestic abuse.
The final episode of MTV Shuga: Alone Together aired on 14 August 2020.
MTV Nishedh: Alone Together (2020)
Following the same format and style of MTV Shuga: Alone Together, MTV Nishedh also released a five episode mini-series following the lives of a young couple during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown in India. The show explores the difficulties of continuing tuberculosis (TB) treatment during lockdown, as well as the challenges of receiving social support from family and friends.
MTV Shuga: What Makes a Man (2022)
In partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Meta, the MTV Staying Alive Foundation launched the MTV Shuga: What Makes Man docu-series in March 2022. Following MTV Shuga: Down South actor and producer Ayanda Makayi, MTV Shuga: What Makes a Man
explores the impact of gender-based violence and the role of masculinity throughout South Africa.
Throughout the series, Ayanda interviews different South Africans in an attempt to uncover the social values and behaviours expected from a man. The docu-series features several famous South African celebrities, such as radio personality Bujy, rapper Big Zulu, and VJ and entertainer Uncle Vinny.
MTV Shuga: What Makes a Man consisted of 3 episodes, with the final episode airing on 17 March 2022.
The MTV Shuga websites
The primary MTV Shuga website, www.mtvshuga.com, is split into four main sections, with each section corresponding to MTV Shuga’s four major series in Africa: MTV Shuga: Naija, MTV Shuga: Down South, MTV Shuga Babi, and MTV Shuga: Alone Together. When visiting www.mtvshuga.com for the first time, website visitors can choose which series section of the website they wish to visit.
All four sections of website use the same layout, emphasizing news, episodes, and sexual health related content. Each section also contains links to MTV Shuga TV and radio episodes, as well as additional information about the show’s cast and characters.
The sections all contain a dedicated “Help” and “Questions” section, where information about HIV, pregnancy, and other sexual heath related topics can be accessed. The content provided is relatively short and easy-to-read to accommodate younger audiences. The website also prominently features a “Get Help” button on the each section homepage, providing contact details of organizations which can provide direct sexual health related support.
Website users are also able to create an account and login to their profile. Logged in users can take part an online quiz to identify which series character they most identify with.
MTV Nishedh
The MTV Nishedh series contains its own distinct website, www.mtvnishedh.com, which has no direct connection with the primary MTV Shuga website. Although different in style and branding, the MTV Nishedh website contains similar information, allowing users to access the show’s episodes, sexual health related content, as well as a support hotline.
The MTV Shuga graphic novel
In 2016, MTV Shuga launched a graphic novel that builds on the success of the MTV Shuga: Naija TV series. The graphic novel is a collaboration between MTV Shuga, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the African Union. It was created by a team of African writers and artists, and it features characters from the TV series as well as new ones.
“MTV Shuga’s rise came as a response to the HIV epidemic. Importantly, it was the need for forward-thinking solutions to HIV prevention that stimulated a novel response, which looked to use the power of media to affect positive change in the lives of young people.”
– Georgia Arnold, Executive Director of the MTV Staying Alive Foundation [Source: Business Day]
Implementation and funding
The Soul Buddyz Club programme is primarily implemented by the MTV Staying Alive Foundation, which is primarily supported by MTV. Over the years, MTV Shuga has received support and funding from numerous local, international and government organizations.
Results
General impact
- MTV Shuga series broadcast in 72 countries, reaching 96% of sub-Saharan African countries Source
- MTV Shuga Season 5 potentially reached of 720 million people through 179 broadcasters Source
- Over 18 million YouTube views Source
- For every $1 invested, there is roughly $150 return in health and welfare benefits Source
MTV Shuga Down South 2 Impact evaluation (LSHTM) results
Among those exposed to MTV Shuga Down South 2:
- Higher knowledge of HIV status Source
- Increased awareness and use of HIV self-testing Source
- Increased awareness of PrEP Source
MTV Shuga Naija evaluation (World Bank) results
Of those to MTV Shuga Naija:
- Significant improvements in knowledge and attitudes towards HIV Source
- 35% more likely to get tested for HIV Source
- Reductions in STIs among women (58% lower prevalence of chlamydia) Source
- Spillover effect on friends not exposed MTV Shuga Source
- Decreased incidence of sexual violence Source
MTV Shuga Naija seasons 3 and 4 evaluation results
- Over 8.7 million YouTube views Source
- 51,000 participants in the peer education programme Source
- Increased motivation to use contraception among those exposed to seasons 3 and 4 Source
- Increased motivation to speak about sexual violence with partners among those exposed to seasons 3 and 4 Source
MTV Shuga: A decade of learning together webinar recording
Collateral examples
Social media post examples
Social media channels
In the news
- MTV Shuga Naija Season 5 returns, meet the casts (2023)
- MTV Shuga: What makes a man docuseries premieres on MTV base (2022)
- MTV Shuga Naija Is Back for a New Season & You Can Audition to Join the Stellar Cast (2022)
- “MTV Shuga Babi” : une série télé pour sensibiliser les jeunes (2021)
- MTV Shuga Babi : sexualité et tolérance au cœur de la saison 2 (2021)
- ‘MTV Shuga Alone Together’ a self-shot series, available on YouTube (2020)
- Raising awareness of Covid-19 and GBV with MTV Shuga (2020)
- Bhumi Pednekar: Impact of MTV Nishedh Will be Hard-hittinges Through Entertainment (2020)
- Viacom18 announces a multi-million dollar behaviour change campaign ‘MTV Nishedh’ (2020)
- Watch The MTV Soap Opera That Is Secretly Teaching Sex Ed (2020)
- Médias : MTV Staying Alive met le cap sur Abidjan (2019)
- MTV’s Shuga is peerless at delivering the highest level of entertainment and social value (2018)
- MTV Shuga to showcase HIV self-tests, PrEP in three new seasons (2018)
- MTV Shuga Soap Opera Turns Edutainment into a Tool to Fight HIV and Gender-Based Violence (2017)
- How ‘MTV Shuga’ works to wipe out the stigma of HIV (2016)
- How ‘MTV Shuga’ works to wipe out the stigma of HIV (2016)
- The MTV drama raising HIV awareness in Africa (2010)
Research
- Young people’s access to sexual and reproductive health prevention services in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic: an online questionnaire – BMJ Paediatrics Open (2023)
- Effects of a multimedia campaign on HIV self-testing and PrEP outcomes among young people in South Africa: a mixed-methods impact evaluation of ‘MTV Shuga Down South’ – BMJ Global Health (2022)
- A qualitative exploration of the salience of MTV-Shuga, an edutainment programme, and adolescents’ engagement with sexual and reproductive health information in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa – Sexual Reproductive Health Matters (2022)
- ‘It is guiding us to protect ourselves’: a qualitative investigation into why young people engage with a mass-media HIV education campaign – Culture, Health & Sexuality (2022)
- Impact of peer education on sexual health knowledge among adolescents and young persons in two North Western states of Nigeria – Reproductive Health (2021)
- Young Adults’ Responses to an African and US-Based COVID-19 Edutainment Miniseries: Real-Time Qualitative Analysis of Online Social Media Engagement – JMIR Formative Research (2021)
- Entertainment, Education, and Attitudes Toward Domestic Violence – American Economic Association (2019)
- A thematic analysis of MTV Shuga “Down South” drama series – Journal of Language & Communication (2018)
Resources
Additional resources are available at www.mtvshuga.com.
- PrEP Watch – MTV Shuga: Down South – Demand Creation Challenge fact sheet
- MTV Shuga: A decade of learning together webinar recording highlights video
- MTV Shuga – A Multi-platform Communication Initiative Achieving HIV Behaviour Change for Adolescents in Africa
- MTV Shuga: Down South digital comic: Dineo & Kwanele: Braam Diaries
- MTV Shuga Down South digital comic – Reggie’s Story: Living Your Truth
- MTV Shuga: Peer Educators’ Training Guide
- Experimental evaluation of MTV Shuga: Changing social norms and behaviors with entertainment education
- Lightning Talks: Evidence from evaluations of MTV Shuga – Presentation slides
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